VIII Questions and Answers About the Inside Story of the Bible—–Question 4

Question 4: You say the book The Word Appears in the Flesh is God’s new word. But Revelation clearly says, “For I testify to every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book …” (Revelation 22:18). Aren’t you adding to the Bible?

he Inside Story of the Bible—4

Answer: For the verse you just mentioned, you think that we are adding to the Bible. So, let’s have a discussion about this issue. Brothers and sisters, at that time what John said was that if any man shall add to this “prophecy,” but not if any man shall add to the “Bible.” Besides, when John said this, the New Testament didn’t exist. The New Testament came into being after 300 A.D. Revelation was recorded about 90 A.D. after John saw the vision on the island of Patmos.

Obviously, “this book” John spoke of refers to the Book of Revelation, the book of prophecy, not the entire Bible. So, “no one shall add” doesn’t mean God won’t do new work or speak new word in the future. What John saw was only a vision but not the fact of God’s work in the last days. Almighty God’s work and word in the last days are not an addition to the prophecies in Revelation but the fulfillment of them. Let’s read Revelation 2:17, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna….” This verse mentions “what the Spirit said to the churches” and “the hidden manna,” which actually refer to the words Almighty God expresses in the last days. Revelation 5:1-5 also says, “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders said to me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” We used to think that the book referred to the Bible. But this verse says no one has read the book. So, the book doesn’t refer to the Bible. The verse says, “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.” That means the content of the book isn’t recorded in Revelation. It tells us that only the last Christ can open the book and loose the seven seals.

In the Book of Revelation, John also didn’t write about the “utterance of the seven thunders.” So, these mysteries are some things waiting for God to unlock in the last days. If we restrict God’s work and word with “no one shall add,” then how can the book be opened? How can the prophecies in Revelation be fulfilled? Almighty God’s words tell us, “When you have finished reading this book, when you have experienced each step of the work of God incarnate in the Age of Kingdom, you will feel that the hopes of many years have finally been realized. You will feel that only now have you truly seen God face-to-face; only now have you gazed upon the face of God, heard the personal utterance of God, appreciated the wisdom of God’s work, and truly sensed how real and almighty God is. You will sense that you have gained many things that people of times past have never seen or possessed. At this time, you will clearly know what it is to believe in God, and what it is to be after God’s heart. Of course, if you cling to views of the past, and reject or deny the fact of the second incarnation of God, then you shall remain empty-handed and acquire nothing, and ultimately be guilty of opposing God. Those who obey the truth and submit to the work of God shall come under the name of the second incarnate God—the Almighty. They will be able to accept the personal guidance of God, and shall acquire more and higher truth and receive the real human life. They shall behold the vision that people of the past have never seen: ‘And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the middle of the seven candlesticks one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength’ (Revelation 1:12-16). This vision is the expression of God’s entire disposition, and such an expression of His entire disposition is also the expression of the work of God when He becomes flesh this time. In the torrents of chastisements and judgments, the Son of man expresses His inherent disposition through the speaking of words, allowing all those who accept His chastisement and judgment to see the true face of the Son of man, a face that is a faithful depiction of the face of the Son of man seen by John …” (Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh). Now Almighty God has come. He has loosed the seven seals, opened the book, and unlocked the mysteries people in the past ages didn’t understand. This is exactly the utterance of the seven thunders, and is what the Spirit says to the churches. These words are precisely all the truths we must possess to be saved, the words with which God judges and purifies man in the last days, and the eternal way of life God bestows on us. Only if we accept Almighty God’s work of judgment and purification by the word, can we attain salvation and enter the kingdom of heaven.